Indicators, Measures and Strategies of Sustainability of NGOs in Bangladesh

Abstract

Sustainable development of NGOs is recently a much-acknowledged theme in Bangladesh. This paper constitutes a conceptual review and an empirical exploration concerning relevant indicators, measures, approaches and strategies of NGO sustainability in our country. The study shows that different methodologies, indicators and measures developed by World Bank and other specialists have limited relevance and applicability for Bangladeshi NGOs in general Sustainability assessment methodology, indicators and measures used for Grameen Bank and BRAC is relatively more integrated and comprehensive in nature, and also is more relevant and meaningful for our local and national NGOs. The empirical investigation reveals that NGO managers consider the sustainable development of their respective NGOs as a "high priority" issue. but they have quite inadequate and confused notions of sustainability, its indicators and measures, and need increased orientation and training on this issue. Almost all NGOs are also experimenting with alternative measures and strategies to achieve sustainability, which in majority cases are limited in effort.